The United Nations Migration Agency has disclosed that a total of 73 Africans are missing and presumed dead in the recent shipwreck off the coast of Libya on Saturday.
The shipwreck was the latest sea tragedy in the central Mediterranean, a key route for migrants.
“Seven people survived and made it to Libyan shores in extremely dire conditions, and were taken to hospital”, the UN agency said.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said over 25,821 migrants and refugees have gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.
Libya has in recent years emerged as the dominant transit point for refugees and asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East trying to make it to Europe.
Related Posts
A controversial migration agreement between Italy and Libya was automatically renewed earlier this month for a period of three years, amid warnings by Humanitarian organisations that this might make Rome and the European Union complicit in crimes against humanity.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that assisting Libya’s coast guard, knowing that it will facilitate the return of thousands of people to serious human rights violations, makes Italy and the European Union complicit in such crimes.
IOM said since January 29, at least 531 migrants and refugees have been intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard and returned to the war-torn north African country.
Oil-rich Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO backed uprising that toppled and killed long-time leader, Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
A June 2022 report by the United Nations Independent facts finding Mission on Libya found that migrants and refugees faced murder, enforced disappearance, torture, enslavement, sexual violence, rape, and other inhumane acts in connection with their arbitrary detention.
In September 2022, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) found that crimes against migrants and refugees in Libya “may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes”.
